"Domestic Tourism is a Habit, Must Connect with All Cultural Event Tourism"
"Domestic travel must be revitalized. Yesterday, I visited the opening ceremony of the Tongyeong International Music Festival and the Changwon Industrial Complex, an industrial complex with culture, and all local industries, contents, and cultural events should be connected to tourism. We can also engage in industrial tourism through globally competitive automobiles and electronics."
Yoon In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, visited the 'NaeNara Travel Expo' held at aT Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 30th, touring the booths. [Photo by Korea Tourism Association Central Council]
Yoo In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, made these remarks on the 30th during a domestic tourism revitalization meeting held after touring the venue of the ‘2024 NaeNara Travel Expo’ at the aT Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul.
The ‘NaeNara Travel Expo,’ the largest travel expo in Korea, was held from the 28th to the 31st under the theme ‘My Country Local Travel Bucket List.’ A total of 132 domestic organizations and individuals operated about 230 booths, introducing various products and information.
The subsequent meeting was attended by representatives from organizations and companies including the Korea Tourism Association Central Council, Korea National Park Service, Jeju Tourism Association, Gangwon Tourism Foundation, Chungnam Tourism Association, Busan Tourism Organization, Travel Workshop, and Streaming House. Industry representatives freely shared opinions on workations, bicycle travel, travel expos, and regional tourism issues.
Minister Yoo said at the meeting, “Not only new things but everything we have can be linked to tourism, so please devise various commercialization plans.”
Referring to the cases of Changwon and Tongyeong in Gyeongnam, which he visited on the 28th and 29th, Minister Yoo emphasized the need to promote ‘tourism of everything.’ For example, he expressed the opinion that the government should consider implementing factory tour programs, which are conducted by large corporations, at national industrial complexes as well.
In particular, Minister Yoo said, "This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Changwon National Industrial Complex, and there was an opinion to promote the development of ‘factory tourism’ products utilizing this," adding, "Currently, some large corporations conduct paid factory tours with guides in charge, and if similar programs are introduced and systematized by local governments or industrial complexes, it will help revitalize domestic tourism."
Yoon In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, visited the 'NaeNara Travel Expo' held at aT Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 30th, and held an on-site meeting with participating organization officials to promote domestic tourism. [Photo by Korea Tourism Association Central Council] [Image source=Yonhap News]
During his two visits to Tongyeong in December last year and on the 29th, Minister Yoo emphasized the globalization strategy of the Tongyeong International Music Festival, stating, "We must pursue a global strategy to become a music festival visited not only by Koreans but also by people worldwide, like Austria’s Salzburg Festival."
He continued, "We have already finalized the lineup and program composition so that ticket sales can open a year in advance, giving foreign tourists enough time to book flights and accommodations, and travel agencies can create and sell related products by establishing such a system."
Minister Yoo also explained, "Domestic travel must become a habit," adding that various local festivals and even abandoned resources can become tourist attractions that foreigners would enjoy. He said, "While examining the site of the abandoned Shin-A Shipyard at the Tongyeong Restart Platform, I listened to many on-site stories, and there was an idea to transform such abandoned shipyard sites into tourist destinations. Efforts to focus on and utilize the resources we already have are necessary."
Immediately after the meeting, Minister Yoo visited the NaeNara Travel Expo venue to meet and encourage local governments and tourism industry representatives operating booths. He showed deep interest in regional tourism by exploring various themes such as barrier-free tourism, night tourism, and temple stays, and by directly participating in booth events.
Minister Yoo In-chon said, “No matter the purpose of visiting local areas in the future, we will take care of the tourism industry together,” and added, “To surpass 20 million foreign visitors this year, we will discover tourism contents that embody the unique characteristics and beauty of each region and actively support vibrant regional tourism throughout Korea.”
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has allocated a tourism budget of 1.3115 trillion won this year, a 6.6% increase compared to last year. This is more than twice the government expenditure average growth rate of 2.8%.
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